CHOCOLATE FRIED PIE: National Fried Pie Day

Who doesn't love Pie? Fried Pie? Oh, yes.. and Chocolate Fried Pie? Be still my heart ... literally. Chocolate Fried Hand Pies! What a great way to celebrate Fried Pie Day!

CHOCOLATE FRIED PIE!

Ingredients:

Chocolate Pudding (filling) 
1/2 cup Dutch unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/8 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
3/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups milk
1-1/2 cups half & half
2 tsp pure vanilla
2 tsp butter
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Buttermilk Crust 
2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
 2/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 Tbsp water

Directions:

Chocolate Pudding Filling 
In medium saucepan, mix cocoa, sugar, cornstarch, and salt, whisk well. Gradually add milk and half & half to dry ingredients in saucepan. Whisk until smooth and well blended. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly. Bring mixture to a boil and boil for 1 minute, remove from heat.
Add butter, vanilla, and chocolate chips.
Whisk until chocolate and butter is melted, pour into bowel and place plastic wrap pressed onto surface to prevent skin and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

Pie Dough/Crust
Mix all dry ingredients and cut in the shortening. Beat egg with buttermilk and add in all at once. Stir just enough to form a ball. If it feels like you are forcing it into ball, you made need to add 1 more tablespoon of water. Roll out dough 1/8-inch thick, cut your shapes with cookie cutters (heart shapes for Valentine's Day?). Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of cooled pudding, brush water around edge of bottom dough. Gently stretch top over bottom, press edges down with fingers and crimp with fork.
Fry for about 1-1/2 minutes on each side in hot oil.
If using a deep fryer, total frying time is about 3 to 3-1/2 minutes at 365.
If you bake, brush tops with a beaten egg or milk & bake for 20-22 minutes at 425.